Perfection
by Gin-Nee
Summary: Perfection, Nevada, USA. The greatest place to live. Well, unless you count the giant worms, called graboids, that live near there. They don't come often except when they get hungry. But, they have been acting strange since hunters had started to arrive. They come more often to the small town. Is something going on? Are the hunters doing something to drive them to the town? Read.


Cigarette smoke floated to the ceiling of the store. A sigh escaped dry, cracked lips as the nineteen year old looked out the slightly broken window. Dry desert was her only companion as she turned toward the door as it opened with the bell jingling. The young woman stared at the person as they looked around the store. Their greying hair and wrinkled skin made him seem as if he had lived an exciting life, then again, she was also living an excited life. If that excited life meant being stuck in Perfection as a worker at the souvenir shop while studying Animal Behavior at the college in the closest city. It was summer, and she needed the job. Her thoughts were broken as the cocking of a gun caught her attention. The cigarette was placed near her lips as she decided to speak, "Are you willing to die?"

"Pardon me, miss?" the man asked as he turned toward her.

"I asked if you were willing to die," she repeated.

"You make it sound as if I have no choice to die."

"It's your funeral," she said, puffing out smoke.

The man went back to ignoring her as he picked up a watch that picked up seismic readings. He twisted it around before placing it back on the shelf. Dull, green eyes continued to watch him as she flipped through a textbook. She was taking classes over the summer at the college. Time to get ahead! A glow caught her attention as she looked at the chain around her waist. Guardian Serval glowed slightly before it stopped all together. She sighed before going back to her book. It was a boring read, but it was more fun than this deserted souvenir store. She was interested in Animal Behavior since the Nemesis incident nearly seven years ago. The animals knew what was happening before they even knew what was happening. It was amazing to her. She wanted to know how they knew. Was it a sixth sense that humans lost when they evolved past their animal ancestors? Or was it something mystical altogether?

"Fang!"

The woman's head snapped up from her textbook as she saw her boss scowling at her. She tilted her head in mild confusion. "Did I do something wrong?" Her boss' scowl just got deeper as she heard Fang's question. Obviously, she had done something wrong. She just didn't know what she did wrong to deserve such a scowl. "Listen, Fang, I realize that you try to help the costumers when they come to hunt the graboids, but, you're too rude about it. The man that walked out was complaining about you minding your own business."

"He can die if he wants too," she spoke after a few minutes. "It doesn't matter to me."

"Of course it matters to you, or you wouldn't ask such a thing to a _customer_!"

"Listen, Reese," she spoke, eyeing the slightly older woman. "I don't _care _if it's a customer or a worker at the store. They can go get themselves killed or just listen to me for once. How many hunters have come back from their trip, huh? Huh?!"

"Its good money," Reese answered before she grew quiet.

"And that's all its _ever _going to be - good money." Fang went back to studying for her class as she picked another cigarette out of the box. She really had to kick this habit in the ass, but she wasn't quitting anytime soon. She had absolutely no motivation. The smoking began last year when she could buy cigarettes. Fang had gotten so stressed to the point that she bought a pack of cigarettes. She was hooked after coughing out a lung the first time she smoked one. Reese sighed as she knew she lost their argument; she always lost their arguments. Fang had been through too much in her past. She knew what she was talking about for everything. The nineteen year old, sophomore student, had more wisdom than Reese could ever require.

"Fine," she said finally. "You win, Fang."

"I always win," she replied.

"No big heads allowed in this store."

"Yes mom," replied Fang sarcastically.

"And no smoking."

Fang's head shot up as she glared at the older woman. She knew that smoking was a must, and she always worked around the clock. It was agreed she could smoke in the store as long as it didn't bother customers. It never did since all the customers were hunters. Reese just chuckled as she went to the backroom to finish her managerial duties. She did work hard; she worked harder than Fang that was a fact. She just played with Serval at the counter as no more hunters had walked into the shop. The black and gold bey had worn over the years, but she was still Fang's companion through everything. She was there when she moved to America five years ago. She was there when she moved to Perfection. She was there for her through thick and thin. Her mind then wandered to Windy. Windy had stopped appearing after the island incident seven years ago. She hadn't minded since Windy knew she wasn't needed anymore, but the cougar had always been there for her. It felt extremely weird. She rested her head on the counter as she spun Serval on her side. When was the last time she actually launched Serval? Was it a few months ago? Maybe it was a few years ago -

"I'm telling you - we're lost. Just admit it!"

Fang lifted her head as she heard the voice before they even came into the store. There were two of them that wandered into the shop. Both had cloaks over their heads, so she couldn't make out their physical features. One of them just 'tched' before they began looking around the store. Fang had to guess they were looking for a map. She grabbed one from behind the counter and waved it to gain their attention. The first to notice was the one that probably said they were lost. The figure hurried over before grabbing the map from her hands.

"Hey, hey," she said, grabbing it back. "You'll have to _pay _for that. It's not free, you know?"

"Sorry. How much is it?"

"It's $1.25," she answered.

He, obviously the voice was male sounding, grabbed the money quickly. Green eyes caught sight of a very familiar bey sitting on the counter. His hovering hand stopped over her hand as the money fell from his hand in shock. Fang raised an eyebrow at him. Was there something she said? He took his hand back before managing to sputter out a very familiar word, "F-Fang?"

"How do you know my name?" she asked. "Have we met before?"

"Fang, it's me," he answered while pulling the hood of the cloak down. "Nile."

It was her turn to be shocked as the unmistakable orange markings under his eyes were seen. It really was Nile. She hadn't seen Nile in nearly six years, truthfully. She had gone back to Japan while he went back to Egypt. Then, she moved to America. She had also lost contact with everybody as she refused to contact them. But, Nile, dear Nile, was standing before her. A grin couldn't help but appear on her face as she tackled him over the counter. A cry of 'oof' was heard as the 21 year old fell to the wooden floor. His arms wrapped around her waist as he let out a chuckle.

"Now, this seems familiar."

She just nuzzled her face in his neck as she caught his minty scent. It had always been minty. Compared to her smell of cigarette smoke and pine, he was an air freshener. He noticed her smell right away as well. Pushing her slightly away from him, Nile gave her a confused look, "Since when did you smoke?"

"Since last year when I had a mental breakdown," she explained twiddling her thumbs. "I'm addicted. I try to stop but I crash after a few hours."

"Someone that can make Fang twiddle her thumbs and not be haughty," spoke Reese as she came out of her office. "I applaud you."

"Haughty? Fang?" asked Nile pointing to her. Fang just laughed sarcastically as she tried to bite his finger. Nile quickly pulled it back and just glared at her. She just shrugged before standing up. "Here's your map."

"It's about time," a new voice spoke. "Geez, Fang, is your mind still all over the place?"

"Shut up, Kyoya," she said automatically.

He just chuckled before pulling his hood down as well. The unmistakable green hair fell down his back. It was still in a ponytail, but it wasn't as long as when they were children. He had cut it. Blue eyes stared at her amusingly as she stuck her tongue out at him. Yep, she was still childish at heart.

"So, what brings you to Perfection?" asked Reese as she leaned over the counter. "Lost, I assume, since you needed to buy a map."

"Precisely," said Kyoya. "We're trying to find a town that's not too far from here, but we ended up in Perfection."

"You could always stay for a while," suggested Fang. "I live in Perfection do to my job. I'm sure Reese wouldn't mind more company."

"Sure. I wouldn't mind at all! Fang has to pay for your expenses though."

"Reese!" cried Fang.

"Kidding, kitty cat. Kidding."

"Don't call me that."

"Kitty cat," spoke Nile. "I like how it rolls off the tongue."

"I know, right?"

"Ugh," groaned Fang smacking her head off the counter. "Not you too, Nile."

"Whatever it takes to make you miserable," he commented, grinning.

"Fuck you," she bit back flipping him off.

The other three laughed at her reaction to the nickname. She absolutely loathed it, but she liked when Nile said it which only made it worse for her. She still had a major crush on the boy. She always liked him. She never once had a boyfriend since moving to America. It was rather awkward as she talked with the people she hadn't seen in years. She kind of wondered what they had to do in the town over –

"Well, welcome to Perfection, boys," spoke Reese as she winked. "Enjoy your stay."

* * *

**A/N**: Author's note at the end of the chapter. Yep. New story. Last in the series with Fang. It's sad, but I have to complete Fang's Way, Dangerous Training and this story. It's not quite over yet, but its almost over. It saddens me since Dangerous Training is almost over as well. Things go quickly in the written world. It is just the blunt truth. R and R!


End file.
